Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

Yes and on Second Stage I acknowledged that it has some reservations about the charge on the home. However, at present people are forced to sell their homes and run down their assets to pay for their care. This ends all of that and creates an equitable situation. Perhaps in an ideal world we would love to do some things differently but this will provide a radical change to how long-term care is supported and it is an important measures. With regard to connected persons, on Committee and Report Stages in this House we made a change to include siblings so the sister relationship mentioned by Deputy Reilly will be covered under the definition of connected persons.

Specifically on the amendment, the property registration authority wanted to make it clear and put it beyond doubt that a charge can be made; it is a legal technicality and we took the advice of the Attorney General on the matter. The purpose of Seanad amendment No. 4 is to ensure there are no technicalities to prevent the HSE being able to have its money returned to it and the reference to "mortgage" is to the ancillary loan. There is no question of this loan, when it is registered, coming ahead of other mortgages on the House or whatever the case may be. Seanad amendments Nos. 5 and 9 are tidying up amendments to bring more closely together matters in various sections of the Bill. Seanad amendment No. 5 removes the reference to the release of charging orders from section 17(14) while Seanad amendment No. 9 ensures the relevant reference is reflected instead in section 28. It is a technical legal tidying up arrangement.

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